Currently, evolved packet systems (EPS) support access of a plurality of packet data network (PDN) connections. To be specific, user equipment may access an external packet data network by establishing a plurality of PDN connections. A connection that is from a user equipment to a packet data network and that is based on the Internet Protocol (IP) is usually referred to as a PDN connection. A plurality of PDN connections can improve a network end-to-end throughput rate and network utilization.
However, it is found in practice that, when releasing one of a plurality of PDN connections, the EPS considers only whether the PDN connection is the last PDN connection, and releases the PDN connection if the PDN connection is not the last PDN connection. As such, a case in which a just released PDN connection is required by user equipment can easily occur, and therefore the PDN connection needs to be reestablished through signaling interworking resulting in network resource waste.